Questions
Questions and answers
Where to buy the book, what you may copy, and other common questions.
Where can I buy the book?
The Kindle edition is on sale now from Amazon. Press the button below and it opens your country’s Amazon store, or choose another store. The paperback and hardcover are coming soon, and this site will link to them once they are on sale.
Do I need a Kindle to read the Kindle edition?
No. Amazon’s Kindle app is free for phones, tablets and computers, and the book can also be read in a web browser through Amazon’s Kindle reader.
When will the paperback and hardcover be out?
Soon. There is no fixed date yet, so none is given here. When they are on sale, the buy buttons on this site will include them. Paperback ISBN 9798162251088; hardcover ISBN 9798162534938.
Can I buy it outside the UK and the US?
The “Get the book” window lists the Kindle stores of thirteen countries; choose yours there. Amazon sets the price and the availability in each country, and they can differ. If your country is not listed, try Amazon.com.
Can a school, college or library order copies?
Once the paperback is out, it can be ordered from Amazon by its ISBN, 9798162251088. Any other ordering routes will be listed here once they exist. A single Kindle purchase belongs to the account that bought it, so it cannot be handed round a class.
What may I copy for my class or group?
The reading and teaching materials on this site are free to print, copy and adapt for teaching, study and reading groups. The opening extract may be read aloud, shown and printed for your own class or group. The novel itself is sold separately. The full details are under what you may copy.
Where is the story set? Are the places real?
In the dry country of West Africa. The two countries, Awdagha and Tekuru, their towns and villages, and the regional language, Nabari, are fictional. The peoples, faiths, foods and farming methods are real. The people and words page marks which words are fictional.
Is it suitable for younger readers?
It was written for adult readers. The teaching pack suggests ages 15 and over, as a guide; teachers know their classes best. There is no graphic violence. The teaching pack has content notes, which mention some later events.
Will this site spoil the ending?
Not unless you ask it to. Pages with a “How far have you read?” bar hide anything later than your chapter. The example essays, the critical study and some teaching sections discuss the ending, and they say so before they open.
How do I reset my reading progress on a shared computer?
Your progress, quiz scores and stones are saved only in the browser you are using. To clear them:
How do I cite the novel?
See how to cite the novel, with MLA, APA, Harvard and Chicago examples.
Can I read the site in another language?
The Translate button at the top of each page gives a machine translation of the website. It is a rough guide. There are no translated editions of the novel.
Who wrote the guides and essays?
They were prepared for this site and checked against the novel. They are not independent reviews or exam-board materials, and the example students are fictional. More on where the materials come from.
Can I contact the author?
The site has no contact address, and it does not arrange author visits, talks or replies to questions. Everything here is meant to work without getting in touch. Questions about orders, payment, delivery or a Kindle account should go to Amazon.
